The Candida albicans virulence factor candidalysin polymerizes in solution to form membrane pores and damage epithelial cells.

ABSTRACT: Candida albicans causes severe invasive candidiasis. C. albicans infection requires the virulence factor candidalysin (CL) which damages target cell membranes. However, the mechanism that CL uses to permeabilize membranes is unclear. We reveal that CL forms membrane pores using a unique mechanism. Unexpectedly, CL readily assembled into polymers in solution. We propose that the basic structural unit in polymer formation is a CL oligomer, which is sequentially added into a string configuration that can close into a loop. CL loops appear to spontaneously insert into the membrane to become pores. A CL mutation (G4W) inhibited the formation of polymers in solution and prevented pore formation in synthetic lipid systems. Epithelial cell studies showed that G4W CL failed to activat

SUBMITTER: Russell CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9522247 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature